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Really good.

I have used a variety of guitar strings over the past 8 or so years, and here is just another example from the catalogue of strings I've sampled. 'Ernie Ball' strings are a solid choice for any guitar fanatic, they are an affordable alternative to an often expensive, repetitive addition to your instrument which must its self be looked after and maintained to a good standard if you wish it to last.

The packaging of the guitar strings is not amazing. Compared to 'D'Addario' which have adopted a unique, environmentally friendly alternative to the typical card/standard plastic materials - which also maintains string freshness within the packet - Ernie is lacking. The external packaging is plastic, and air tight, but the individual sleeves which contain the individual strings are paper. This isn't good for keeping freshness, plus the strings have a tendency to untangle out of them which is extremely annoying.

The sleeves are well illustrated with information about the particular string type and their code. The sleeves adopt a nice looking border design which acts to make them seem a little posher than they actually are - but I don't mind that. The sleeves can be resealed by folding the paper flap at the top back inside the packet, but this isn't exactly the most ingenious of methods for containing the strings. A plus point however is that the paper is 'recyclable' according to a tab of information of the back (include the items bar-code).

The strings perform excellently, and surely that's all that matters when it comes to such an inherently function over form type product as this. They are made in the USA (probably cheaply) but they definitely do the job well. They last a long time, months, and they don't seem to require re-tuning very often. Just as with the 'D'Addario' strings, bending them a lot won't cause too much re-tuning requirement, however excessive bending on the same string will. This is a common trait in all strings. They can be slippery under the touch of sweaty fingers.

In general, here we have another great set of strings suitable for professionals and novices alike, and all for a reasonable/affordable price. 'Ernie Balls' strings can be found online at Amazon.co.uk and in most musically orientated stores across the UK - they all seem to stock it as it's a national favourite - for good reason!

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Great strings at a remarkable price

Ernie Ball seem to be the choice of most professional artists who need quality strings for their guitars.

***Features***

These strings are cheap, fairly long lasting and have good tone. Averaging around £4 it's hard to say no to buying something so good for so little, buy these in bulk and you save more money and get more strings!

This gauge of string is pretty much the standard gauge for a standard tuned guitar ( E A D G B E) and they'll serve you well during their stay, do bare in mind that string lifespan varies depending on how often you play, how clean your hands are and whether or not you wipe down your guitars fretboard before and after use. Doing these things will greatly increase the strings life and save you even more money in the grand scheme of things.

***Sound***

The tone you get from these is the usual bright tone that you get from most sets of strings. It's after a few days that the tone really gets into its own. It doesn't possess that overly bright tone that you get from a brand new pair but they're not dull and honky like an old pair of strings (NOTHING sounds worse than an old pair of electric guitar strings). I personally would recommend changing these strings once the tone is gone because they're cheap and it's no hassle to do. This being said, there are other string brands no the market who possess this tone and make it last longer.

***Competition***

The other brand I could see this competing with the most are the Elixir Nanoweb series. They have a special coating that preserves their tone and string life for up to 3-5X longer, bare in mind though that a set is also 2 times the price. But with the lifespan being longer then it could be a worthwhile investment in the long run.

***Summary***

Overall I'd recommend these strings indefinitely.They are cheap and possess a good tones, if you have some extra money burning holes in your pocket then there is no reason not to give longer lasting strings a go. But for a quick string which sounds good on the day, holds its tuning and is associated with fame then I cannot recommend this string enough

Great strings.

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Great strings.

Strings, the biggest expense you'll find once you have bought your guitar and equipment. They are of course a necessity, no strings, no music. But the fact that they snap and break and loose their oomph long before that even happens means a regular player will be spending quite a bit of money on a yearly basis on strings alone.

We all know that feel, when you can just tell that the string is on it's way out. Then soon enough you can hear it as that special something is lacking in it's tone and pitch. As with everything in life there are two options when it comes to buying or replacing these temperamental bad boys. You can of course go down the cheap route. Or up the more expensive route where you will find these particular strings smiling at you. I had never heard of this brand before I started to learn the guitar, why would I? I had however heard of Fender, so why not these? I have since learned that the Ernie Ball brand is very well respected in guitar playing circles, especially the very popular gauge of 9 too 42. And it's these 9 too 42 strings that the Ernie Ball brand call their "Super Slinky Strings" I should add that these are for electric guitar use and come in a range of thicknesses (.009, .001, .016, .024, .032 and the thickest string being .042).

Seeing that the thickest string is still relatively thin these don't give off as strong a sound as my guitar playing friend (teacher) would like. He plays a very heavy style of music and wouldn't recommend theses for the more rocky sound. These however he does recommend and I too would recommend for nearly every other style of music. These are described on the packaging as "custom gauge, nickel wound guitar strings" and are made in the USA. The price of these strings can vary dramatically online but the difference won't be as much in your regular music store. These are a very well know name for a good reason. They are a quality product but come with a price tag to match, and when seeing theses may / will need Replacing regularly the cost can really add up.

As I mentioned at the beginning there are other alternatives, lots of them and just because they are not as well known does not mean they won't do the job just as well and remember you won't be stuck with them for life cheap or dear all strings loose their magic sooner than later whatever the price. Amazingly according to dooyoo amazon.co.uk are selling theses for only 58p at the moment so I'm off to but the lot.

Thanks for reading :0) 2night.

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Good for practising.

These guitar strings are favoured by a lot of experimental alternative guitarists as they are so flexible and they work well with high quality guitars. They sound great when struck in coordination with good effects pedals but there is one big problem...

They break really easily! The thinner strings easily break but that is common of a lot of good guitar strings. However some of the lower strings also have a tendency to break. The only string I haven't broken before replacement is the low E string. This is fine when practising but I would not like to be on stage and have that happen to me. It is a shame as I find they have one of the best sounds to them but they just aren't reliable enough.

All in all, it seems that these guitar strings are definitely worth practising on as they aren't too pricey, more mid-range, but you will need to keep many more on hand to replace when they break. If playing guitar to a crowd, ease the pressure and use a different brand that will last throughout a whole set of thrashing.

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I like these strings and wish they were more durable.

I can't believe how many times this has happened: My Ernie Ball Slinky strings break at the worst times! I have been choosing them because of the sound they get, and because they are better than the other options in the same price range, but weirdly they break more than any other strings. I don't play roughly or tune up to some strange, tight tuning. I do use a capo, but I use a capo with all my guitars and only the slinky strings break time and again.

So, I have mixed feelings about them. I would not use them when playing at an open mic night, because I don't trust them. It's not even just the little strings, either; the bigger ones break, too.

Yet, I still use them for recording.... Anyway, after the 5th time they broke (within about a month of purchase) I thought I'd write a review about it. I am still going to buy them... I'm just frustrated with them! :-) I like these strings, and maybe the lack of durability unavoidable due to the same characteristics that make such a high quality sound.

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Well worth considering

I have played guitar for around 15 years and throughout the years have purchased Earnie Ball Super Slinky strings many times. I have used other brands also and would not say that Ernie Ball's stand alone as being the outright best purchase, but all things considered they are amongst the brands that I happily use time and time again.

The price of the strings obviously vary depending on the retailer, but I have always found them to be reasonably priced, between £5 and £6. They always seem to last a good amount of time and personally I like the light sound that they compliment.

I think strings are a very subjective thing. Whether you will like these depends entirely upon the set up you are used to and the type of sound that you are trying to achieve. Personally I like Ernie Ball Super Slinkies on my Fender Strat. I find that the style of playing that the strat lends itself to is complimented to emmensly by using these strings. On the other hand I also have a Gibson Les Paul and I tend to stay away from using these strings on that particular guitar as I find that the opposite applies.

Overall it really is a matter of preference. The strings are certainly good quality and the standard is befitting of the price making them extreemly good value.

I would certainly recommend giving them a try. Whether they actually suit will depend on your own preferences and style, but they are very much worth considering.

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A great guitar string

Strings are an extremely important factor in a guitar player's setup, and there are actually loads of different varieties on the market to choose from. For my electric guitar, I usually opt for Ernie Ball's 'Regular' and 'Super Slinky' strings, with today's review focussing on the latter. The strings are available for a reasonable price and have served me well over the years - speaking of the cost, a set can currently be picked up from amazon.co.uk for £4.80. No, Super Slinky's aren't the cheapest guitar strings you can buy, but in terms of their quality, the price represents very good value for money.

The strings are constructed from nickel plated steel, and the description on the packet suggests that they are made "using only the finest materials around". To be honest, i've got no reason to doubt that, as i've only had positive experiences of the strings in the past - in fact, these particular bad boys have been used by Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page - so that's good enough endorsement for me!

Super Slinky in Use- - - - - - - - - - - - -Super Slinky strings are slightly thinner than the Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Strings, and therefore, notes are easier to bend, and playing is easy on the fingers. This gauge of string is often suited to beginners who find the lighter touch easier to get to grips with - but they're also liked by note-twisting blues guitarists who appreciate the feel. Of course, you won't notice a *massive* difference in the actual sound produced after you change your strings, as the predominant determining factor will be your guitar and amp combo - but Super Slinky strings have been described as having a nicely balanced sound, with a nice bright tone. Like any guitar strings, the top E string (that's the thinnest one) will probably break first - but i've actually used a set of Super Slinky's for over six months before that has happened.

Final Word- - - - - - -For a novice, it's probably best to experiment with different types of guitar strings until you find one that suits your playing style - however, Ernie Ball's Super Slinky's are great strings which perform well and seem to last just as long as the competition - highly recommended.

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An ideal set of strings for beginers and those on a low budget

Having played guitar for over 15 years I have used a fair few strings in my time. As any guitarist will appreciate, choosing the right set of strings is imperative in providing the best sound, playability and dependability.

Ernie Ball strings are very popular and you will be able to pick them up easily online or from most music shops. For around £4-6 you will get a pack of 6 strings, each in their own envelope. Stringing up your guitar is made a little easier by the colour band on each string which helps you remember which string you are working on.

The 'Ernie Ball Super Slinky Electric Guitar Strings' are thin and light weight which is ideal for a new or intermediate guitarist. Bending and sliding is easy and more comfortable than on thicker strings. The Super Slinky strings were the first strings I ever bought and they made a huge difference to the sound of my guitar back then.

Any overzealous playing is likely to result in broken strings and therefore these strings are not for those who play very heavy music. Tuning, whole note bends and heavy playing can all cause the lighter strings to break, making these strings ok for use in your bedroom, but if you decide to play live make sure you have a spare guitar handy! The lightness of these strings also means that they are not ideal for those who like to change tunings often. The strings resonate nicely for the price and do not tarnish quickly like other low cost strings.

Overall these strings are good for the price, but don't expect miracles. If you are a beginner or intermediate player, particularly those who like to finger pick, you will enjoy these strings. The main problem is the common occurrence of breakage, but again for the price they are not expensive to pick up, some guitar shops will even allow you to buy single strings. For more committed players there are thicker strings to choose from and more dependable strings on the market.

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Only For Beginners

I first started playing guitar when I was sixteen. My first ever guitar was a Tanglewood electric, it was nothing special and as I look back now I'm surprised I carried on learning with that guitar. After having my guitar for about six months one of my strings snapped! Back then I had no idea what to do about this or how to restring a guitar. Fortunately a friend helped me out and showed me what to do. So I decided to buy a full set of strings and do my full set.

These were the first guitar strings I ever bought. Ernie Ball Super Slinky Electric Guitar Strings. The reason I bought these was simple, they were the cheapest! They also had a rather sparkling pink packaging. I think they cost me around £6 although looking online now you can get them for around £4 so they are actually cheaper now than they were ten years ago.

As with most guitar string packs you get 6 stings in this pack. You can select different gauges of string which basically means different thickness, they range from super slinky which are the finest strings up to not even slinky, which means they are quite thick. The different gauges of strings give different sounds and it's really down to personal preference which ones you select.

When you open the pack up there are six individual envelopes each with a string in. The string are coiled round and you have to open them out, then the strings will explode out into a straighter string. The strings are easy to attach to your guitar and they are even colour coded so you know which one is which. Back when I first started playing these strings were fine for what I wanted.

Now I've been playing for over ten years and no longer have an electric. I have not bought these strings for a long time. That's because they are poor. They tend to snap very easily, they don't last very long and they don't give a great sound. You basically get what you pay for with these, they are alright for learning but if you are a serious musician then you really should be looking to spend a little more money.

These string are nickel wound strings which basically means they are cheap. They are made in the USA and do sell very well all over the world. These are mainly designed for electric guitars but like I say they are the bottom end of the line when it comes to guitar strings. If you are new to music and just starting out then these are fine for you, but as you improve your playing you should really be looking to spend a little more and buy a higher quality of string.

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for experienced guitarists

I think that ernie ball super slinky strings are average for light guitar playing styles but not great for heavier stuff. You get a full set of 6 strings in the pack suitable for e standard tuning. Expect to pay about £5 for a full set try not to pay much over that.

The top e string is a 9 gauge and can be easy to break if you are heavy handed when you play. You probably will need to get a few spares because a 9 gauge string is very thin and easy to snap/ break.

The top e string is most commonly broken anyway and buying a 9 gauge ernie ball super slinky will improve your chances of it going more quickly if you are a beginner.

I wouldn't recommend super slinky for beginners who can be heavy handed. These are best for experienced players with a developed guitar playing style and a lighter hand.

Personally they are not my cup of tea I have used them and they don't suit my playing style or my needs. I do like ernie balls strings but not these ones.

You can't use them for drop tuning due to the thinner strings. They won't suit metal guitarists or anyone who likes to give their guitar a bit of a battering.

I think for an all round string from ernie ball its better to go for the ernie ball regular slinky set of strings instead because the top e string in the set is more a durable gauge.

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Ideal for the beginner or amateur guitarist.

I've been a guitarist for a number of years now, and have experimented with lots of different strings at a variety of price points. These Ernie Ball Super Slinkys come in at around the 5 to 6 pounds range at my local music shops, making them an affordable purchase for any guitarist.

The strings are well made, and last an adequate amount of time before they lose tone and quality. The pack also advertises a list of famous bands and artists who also use or endorse the strings, meaning that any budding or young guitarist will feel that they are in good company with these!

The strings are of a fairly lightweight gauge, something which will suit some guitarists rather than others. I personally prefer a more heavyweight string, as I enjoy the thick tone and robust feel this offers, although these lighter strings would be good for beginners who may lack finger strength, or for people who enjoy playing fast types of rock or metal.

All in all, an ideal beginner string, but for a professional or seasoned guitarist, I'd recommend something a little more heavyweight.

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Very solid and good guitar strings

I think there`s a reason why the Ernie Ball Super Slinky Guitar Strings have been praised and honored by both professional and new beginner guitar players; they are truly very good quality guitar strings!

The main factor that makes these superior to other brands, in my eyes that is, is their very solid capacity of remaining in tune for long periods of time, you can play rather intensely for hours on end without having to worry if they will go sour on you, especially if performing, as there`s nothing worse than a guitar going a bit off edge when in the midst of While my guitar gently weeps... I am one of those enjoying to play fast tunes, such as gypsy music or rock music, and I therefore find it enjoyable and of high importance that the guitar strings from Ernie Ball never to date have made my fingers hurt or sore, they feel soft and very comfortable to your fingertips, and that is a big advantage in my book! However, perhaps most importantly, these guitar strings are extremely solid and long lasting, they can be played on rather intensely without snapping and breaking, and they will last you for a long time without needing replacement, which again makes them budget friendly... As for the sound of the strings, I find it a very well balanced and smooth sound, the vibration of the string is very gentle and well tuned, offering your guitar with a very nice sound! The cost of these string vary from store to store and web site to web site, so I recommend doing some research on the matter before purchasing... As far as guitar strings go, the strings from Ernie Ball are the best of the best!

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The strings all the stars use - because they're the best

I have been a lead guitarist for some seventeen years now and although I'm probably not quite as good as I should be, I've had enough experience to work my way through literally thousands of sets of strings, aswell as plectrums. I must have been through all the main guitar string manufacturers and gauges and have ultimately found that the Super Slinky's from Ernie Ball are the best.

Ernie Ball's Super Slinky's are nickel wound guitar strings available in various gauges as usual and are used by many famous guitarists all over the world. In fact there are over one hundred guitarists named on the back of the packing including some of my favourites, Angus Young, Slash Steve Vai, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and many many more.

For playing lead guitar I personally find gauge nine slinky's to be perfect, they stay in tune whilst remaining flexibile enough to perform bends and vibrato'd pinch harmonics without hurting your fingers. They only need to be strummed/plucked lightly too so you're a heavy player or a rhythm guitarist a higher gauge is recommended.

The one feature I like the most about this product is the fact that they don't seem to snap anywhere as near as often as any other brand out there. They can literally take quite a beating. That's probably why so many famous guitarists use them.

Also, for those that don't know, Ernie Ball host an online Battle Of The Bands competition and if you're in an unsigned band you can join up. I actually found out about this on the bottom of the packaging that the strings come in (on the back). The string are fairly cheap in price too retailing at approximately £7 in my local music shops.

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Great Strings You Can Rely On... But There Are Cheaper Alternatives To Consider Too!!

The Bird May Be The Word; But String's The Thing!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If there's one simple thing a guitar can't live without it's strings. Strings to guitars are what tires are to cars - ain't nothing much gonna happen without them -lol!!

Can You 'Pick-Up' Steel?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Electric guitars always use steel strings. I know a few players will perhaps thoughtfully be saying at this point; 'aren't most sets of guitar strings made of nickel?' A common misunderstanding. The plain strings (that's the high E, b and G string on any electric guitar set up for a 9-42 gauge) are steel. The wound strings D, A and low E are often wound with Nickel as is the case with these Ernie Ball strings (some manufacturers occasionally use other materials too-lol! Vox had a hexagonal copper thing going on in their wound strings once I seem to remember) but the core is always steel.

Guitar strings are steel for a very good reason -the magnets on the guitar pick ups need a metal they can easily react with - and Steel is just about perfect.

So since all electric guitar strings at their core are steel why by a good established more expensive brand over a cheap set?

Cheaper Than Ernie? 'Balls' I Hear You Cry!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Good question -I'm glad you asked it -lol! There are some legendary names in string manufacture that have a great reputation. Fender, Gibson, Rotosound, Vinci to name but a few ...and of course, arguably the most popular brand of them all; Ernie Ball.

Slinky Sale!!~~~~~~~~Ernie Ball strings used to outsell all the other brands in music shops I worked in. The most popular gauge was always 9 to 42. There is a good reason for this gauge being so popular. It has been adopted by most guitar manufacturers as the standard string gauge for the electric guitar.

So almost every electric guitar shipping from it's manufacturer's base comes factory fitted with and set up for gauge 9-42 strings.

Ernie Ball call their 9-42 gauge strings 'Super Slinky' Strings. The exact gauge of each string from thinnest string to thickest is .009 .011 .016 .024 .032 .042 (the numbers represent thousandths of an inch). They are excellent strings and I've used them (and every other popular string brand) on more occasions than I can recall. I've also restrung more guitars in my years working in music shops than I care to remember so I feel well placed to give a good opinion on the EB Super Slinky strings.

Stuck In The Middle (of The Road) With You!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Super Slinky's are a little too lightweight to offer flawless intonation (the ability of the guitar to be in tune with itself) and being a relatively light (thin) gauge there isn't an enormous amount of steel there for the guitar pick ups to work on so the sound isn't as full as it could be with a heavier gauge (thicker strings).

Where the Super Slinky's gauge really comes into its own is in its middle of the road-ness. Super Slinky's are a good all-rounder choice. They are quite good for bends while still being punch enough for most chord work. They offer reasonable intonation without being cumbersome and thick.

Ernie! He (Didn't) Sell The Cheapest Guitar Strings In The West!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~But what's the advantage of buying a set of EB Super Slinky's (the price of which can easily exceed £5 in high street music shops) over a cheaper set of strings?

Surprisingly not that many. If the gauge is the same (9-42) then all the above advantages/disadvantages that apply to Super Slinky's hold true for other cheaper brands too.

Question. 'Cola Or Pepsi?' Answer. 'A Diet Ernie Please!'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~But why then are Ernie Ball Super Slinky's still such popular strings? I think it's the 'cola' factor. (The what??).

Well you know how there are all these fancy ad campaigns showing how cool certain groups of people look by drinking a certain brand of cola? Or how a certain brand crops up in films or TV shows -a well placed aluminium can in a prominent position near the actors? That's what the cola factor I'm talking about is...

Ernie Ball strings are great, but so are a lot of other brands and they are often a bit (sometimes a lot) cheaper. But you open up a guitar magazine and you see those Super Slinky's looking back at you or you see a list of famous musicians like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Angus Young etc and you find out they all favour EB Super Slinky Strings... Those things leave an impression, and make the brand more desirable I think.

You Don't Have To Have Broken To Lose Your Sparkle; But It Helps!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A lot of people talk about longevity of strings. 'Oh you can buy cheaper strings they say but they wear out sooner'. Well it's possible of course but considering even an enthusiastic bedroom guitarist will want to change his strings every 3 months max (a pro may change them almost daily!) if he wants to maintain a good sound - the longevity factor rarely comes into play.

Often long before a string will fatigue and break it loses it's tone and sparkle -so the discerning guitarist changes his strings long before they break... So I'm not sure it matters that one brand can outlast another unless the difference is enormous and they can retain their tone and sparkle too. (No serious gigging musician unless they were skint would risk playing live with an ageing set of strings in case one of them broke at a crucial moment).

Can You Afford To Have A Premium Bond With ERNIE?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you're not on a budget then keeping your guitar strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinky stings is a really good idea. They are high quality premium strings that you can rely on. If however you are on a budget (like a gigging musician needing to replace set after set after set) then you won't be committing a music crime to go downmarket a bit and buy cheaper sets. They may be slight differences in quality but the strings are seldom on your guitar long enough for the differences to manifest themselves noticeably.

Slinky Is Dinky But Cheaper Is Sweeter!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings are superb. The price isn't helped by the 'cola' factor that I mentioned earlier but you just can't argue with the quality. Don't forget about the cheaper almost as good brands if you're on a budget though ...

Thank you so much for reading my review and I hope you found it interesting!!!